
When a struggling novelist is mistaken for a hitwoman, chaos ensues. This Edgar Award nominee's breakout adult thriller became a USA TODAY bestseller and Forbes "Best Mystery of All Time." Lisa Gardner devoured it "in a single night" - a darkly hilarious motherhood adventure.
Feel the book through the author's voice
Turn knowledge into engaging, example-rich insights
Capture key ideas in a flash for fast learning
Enjoy the book in a fun and engaging way
Imagine being a frazzled single mother, drowning in debt, with a half-finished novel and a custody battle looming - then accidentally being mistaken for a contract killer. That's the predicament facing Finlay Donovan, whose chaotic life takes an unexpected turn when an overheard conversation at Panera leads a desperate woman to offer her $50,000 to "take care of" an abusive husband. What follows is a darkly comedic tale of murder, mishaps, and motherhood that brilliantly blends domestic suspense with laugh-out-loud moments, proving that sometimes the most relatable protagonist is one who's accidentally involved in organized crime while trying to make it to preschool pickup on time.
Break down key ideas from Finlay Donovan Is Killing It into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.
Distill Finlay Donovan Is Killing It into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight Pixar’s principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.

Experience Finlay Donovan Is Killing It through vivid storytelling that turns Pixar’s innovation lessons into moments you’ll remember and apply.
Ask anything, pick the voice, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

Get the Finlay Donovan Is Killing It summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.